Lawrence & Gibson Set to Smash Cling Film Record

Lawrence & Gibson Set to Smash Cling Film World Record.

To celebrate the release of Ulrich Haarburste's Novel of Roy Orbison in Cling Film Wellington publishing collective Lawrence & Gibson will attempt to break the world record for greatest quantity of people simultaneously wrapped in cling film (aka Glad wrap; plastic wrap).

Guinness World Records note that no record currently exists. Yet after months of research Lawrence & Gibson has learnt that twelve people were simultaneously wrapped at a private event in San Francisco during March 1997. Unfortunately no photos were taken showing all twelve wrapped at one time, so to ensure the record is conclusively set, Richard Meros, a representative from Lawrence & Gibson, claims they will wrap “at least one hundred [people], if not many more.”

The record attempt will occur at The Mighty Mighty, Cuba St, Wellington on Thursday October 18 and afterwards the cling film will be melted into a statue of Roy Orbison to commemorate the event.

To quell any possible safety concerns with the practice, known in bondage circles as 'mummification', there will be five designated safety officers on hand, a steady supply of liquids along with what Meros describes as “a practiced method of wrapping.”

Ulrich Haarburste's book features collected tales of the author’s experiences of wrapping rock and roll pioneer Roy Orbison in cling film, but while the settings change the wrapping is always down in the same manner – from the feet, working upwards. However, Meros disputes this method, claiming that wrapping the torso and arms first allows the 'mummy' to stand freely until their legs are ready to be wrapped.

Though the collective has a wide social network the success of the impending record attempt will rely on recruiting members of the public. Something that Meros believes will not be difficult.

“We expect at least one hundred supporters of the collective, as well as perhaps twice that of the general public,” he says.

“Cling film wrapping is of universal appeal but as an event it has never been done on a scale like this before. Why should private pleasures not be publicly paraded?”

While Lawrence & Gibson have previously only published books by New Zealanders, about New Zealand issues, Haarburste’s text transcends international borders, Meros explains.

Since the first few stories were published on the internet over four-years ago Ulrich Haarburste's Novel of Roy Orbison in Cling Film has attracted fans from around the globe including cockney chimney sweeps in London to lasso-wielding cowboys in Texas. With its intricate plotting and densley layered references, the novel even appeals to those who have never dreamt of wrapping Roy Orbison in clingfilm and was also highly recommended by The Guardian to “non-fetishists, who will find it inventively hilarious”.

“The theme of Roy Orbison being wrapped in cling film goes to the heart of the human condition and will surely strike a chord in all places, cultures and historical epochs,” German author Ulrich Haarburste explains.

“Not to speak boastfully but it is perhaps the only book you will ever need to own on the subject of wrapping Roy Orbison in clingfilm.”

Meanwhile, the record attempt will also mark the release of the third edition of Richard Meros' On the condition and possibilities of Helen Clark taking me as Her Young Lover. The occasion of the reissue is the translation of that text onto the stage by Arthur Meek and Geoff Pinfield. OTC&POHCTHAHYL will be performed at Bats Theatre January 15-19, 2008.

Lawrence & Gibson will launch the New Zealand edition of ‘Ulrich Haarburste's Novel of Roy Orbison in Cling Film’ and world record attempt for the most people simultaneously wrapped in cling film at The Mighty Mighty, Cuba St, Wellington on Thursday October 18.
The event will also feature performances by The Sunshine Suite and The Dukes of Leisure.

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